A cognitive system performs the cognitive work of knowing, understanding, planning, deciding, problem solving, analyzing, synthesizing, assessing, and judging as they are fully integrated with perceiving and acting. It is a distributed system in which people with diverse roles and capabilities, and with the assistance of technological capabilities, collaborate in the planning and performance of cognitive work.

The design of a cognitive system requires a special set of analysis and design tools. I rely on the framework of Cognitive Work Analysis and the strategy of Functional (Ecological) Workspace Design. The papers, books and tutorials available on this site offer a guide.